1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to adapters for attaching an accessory, such as a light, a privacy screen or a storage unit, to the partition frame of a workspace panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Office managers have widely adopted workspace panels including partition frames as a cost effective and efficient choice for constructing workspaces for office workers. Typically, office managers prefer to use workspace panels instead of architectural walls when designing a work area because workspace panels can be readily disassembled and reconfigured as needed to satisfy the changing needs of the office workers. Thus, workspace panels provide considerably more flexibility when designing work areas than is possible with architectural walls. Later redesigns of existing work areas are also considerably less expensive when workspace panels are used than when architectural walls are used. Examples of workspace panels and partition frames can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,513,288, 6,415,567, 6,250,019, 5,839,240 and 4,097,918 and U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0051415.
Many workspace panels, however, provide a limited degree of usefulness beyond the basic function of separating individual workspaces. Accordingly, many workspace panels provide little more than simple separating partitions that can be connected together at the sides to form work spaces therein. This disadvantage lowers the work efficiency of office workers and lowers the office worker's satisfaction with the work area. Thus, there is a need for workspace panels with greater versatility and increased functionality.
One need that exists is an adapter for attaching a variety of accessories, such as lights, privacy screens and storage units for pens and files, anywhere along the top of the workspace panel. Desirably, the adapter would be readily attachable to older workspace panels already in use within existing work areas so that office managers could update older workspace panels inexpensively.